


What They Lost

by rachelew98



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Best Friends, Comfort, Disownment, F/M, Fluff, Herbology Nerds, Hufflepuff Pride, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-10-20 18:02:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17627012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rachelew98/pseuds/rachelew98
Summary: She had more potential than anyone ever realized. She had more thoughts than she ever voiced. She had more love in her heart than she ever expressed. She was more than she was told. Amelia overcame and she conquered with the grace she was told she never had. So when she was gone, they had no idea how much they had lost.





	1. Among Friends

If she had been given the option to skip over one day of her life, Amelia thought this would be it. Tonight, her parents were holding a ball at Malfoy Manor to celebrate her first year at Hogwarts. Along with a surely glorious meal, there would be dancing, performances, and to top everything off: her wand ceremony.

None of this would have been a problem if she didn’t have to be there. In fact, for most of the party, she was planning on hiding away in a corner. However, the wand ceremony would require her to be front and center with everyone’s eyes glued on her.

Narcissa Malfoy combed through her daughter’s golden hair calmly. She looked at her contentedly, a quiet smile on her face.

“You look beautiful, my dear.”

Amelia looked up at her timidly, “Thank you, Mother.”

“Are you nervous for tonight?” She set the hairbrush down and sat beside her. “You shouldn’t be. Everyone is here to celebrate you and what you will become for us.”

That’s exactly what made her nervous. “What if they don’t like what they see?”

“If they don’t, they can grow to like you. You may not always make a great first impression but I know you and love you. And,” she paused to kiss Amelia’s head, “if anyone should stir trouble, they shall have to speak with me. Tonight, you will get your wand and become the witch your father and I raised you to be.”

Amelia bit her lip, “Yes, Mother.”

Narcissa smiled down at her, “You’re ready. Let’s make our appearance or your father will have something to say.”

Amelia took her mother’s outstretched hand. She followed along until they reached the ballroom. One of the house elves swept the door open for them.

“Thank you, Jouli.” Amelia said politely.  
The young house elf blushed and looked down at the ground, “My pleasure Miss Malfoy.”

Amelia could feel her mother’s eyes on her. Whenever she was caught showing kindness to the house elves, she was reprimanded and punished later. 

“That’s no way to be a mistress in our household, Amelia.” Her father would say, “You need a firm tone with them or they’ll think they can walk all over you.” Sometimes Amelia wondered if she was even capable of using a firm tone or being mean to anyone at all. 

When she and her mother entered the ballroom, Amelia’s father, Lucius Malfoy, greeted them with a wide smile. He gave his wife a kiss on the cheek and his daughter a kiss on the forehead. 

“You look nice tonight, Amelia. Your mother’s helping hand can do wonders.” He leaned closer to her and whispered, “I hope you’ll be on your best behavior tonight, darling.”

“Yes, Father.” She whispered back.

His stare on her relaxed and he cleared his throat, which somehow caught the attention of the whole room. Everyone was seated. The whole room was quiet as the magnificent Lucius Malfoy stood before them, his commanding presence filling the room.

"Tonight," he said, holding up his wine glass, "is a momentous night. This is the eve on which my only daughter, my youngest child, leaves for Hogwarts. She will learn from the best to continue the legacy carried out before her. I have great faith that she will excel in everything she does thanks to the guidance of her older brother, Draco, and those involved in the proud house of Slytherin.”

A few people cheered at this. Amelia’s insides shriveled. She could feel the eyes of everyone in the room glancing at her. She wondered if they could see the sweat stains soaking through her dress. 

“With that said, Amelia has yet to receive her wand. I have called upon Ollivander, the greatest wand maker in the country, to provide my daughter with the wand that will carry her to her future.”

Amelia watched as an extremely old man came forward. He brought with him a huge selection of wands on an enormous cart. A pair of her father’s friends rushed forward to assist him. 

“Miss Malfoy.” Ollivander said, bringing out measuring tape. It magically came to life and began to take note of every part of her body. When it was done, he started mumbling to himself. He rifled through the seemingly randomly stacked wands, his fingers dancing over the complicatedly marked boxes.

Finally, he pulled out a box and dusted off the top.

“Hawthorne. 10 ½ inches. Dragon heartstring.”

Amelia looked down at it as she held it in her hand.

“Give it a wave.”

She did. And nothing happened. He swiped it out of her hand and gave her another one to try. It didn’t work either, and a glass across the room shattered.

“No, definitely not.”

The next wand he presented her with was a very simple, lightly colored wood shaped with a slight bend.

“Cherry. 10 inches. Phoenix feather. A great wand for charm work.”

As soon as the wand was placed in her hands, she felt warmth spread from her fingers all the way down to her toes. It filled her chest and she smiled. 

“I believe that’s the one, sir.” Ollivander said to her father.

“Excellent. How much?”

“Eight galleons, sir.”

Lucius nodded and pulled out the money, practically throwing it at the old man. Ollivander humbly packed up his things and started out of the ballroom. 

“So now she is a proper witch and I would like to make a toast.” Her father said, holding up his glass of wine, “To Amelia. Let fortune follow her and bless her with a stable education. Let her thrive in Slytherin House.”

“Hear, hear!” the guests cried, “To Amelia!”

She blushed and hid her face. 

The party continued and the attention of the room was no longer trained on her, Amelia was able to join her brother and his friends with relief. 

“Draco, please tell Father to leave me alone. Doesn’t he know what this is doing to me?” She tugged on her sleeves self-consciously. “Why did the wand ceremony have to be in front of everybody?”

Draco smiled lovingly at his little sister, “He’s just proud of you is all. You’ve done really well with the homeschooling. He just expects a lot out of you and can’t wait to see it happen. You know how he likes to flaunt things. He’s just showing you off.”

“I’m not a show pony.” Amelia grumbled, crossing her arms and sitting beside him.

Her brother glanced at his friends. They took off a few seconds later. “Listen, I know you hate being the center of attention. I know you’d rather be hiding somewhere in the library right now. Father knows that too. Why do you think he added that whole wing to the family library last year? That was for you! It just catches him off guard because you’re so different from the rest of us. He’s still learning.”

Amelia looked up at him through her eyelashes, “Are you certain? Sometimes I feel like he hates me. He always seems to prefer you.”

Draco shrugged, “I don’t know everything that goes through his head. But there’s no reason for you to worry about it. Just trust me.”

Amelia sighed, “I do trust you. You’re my brother.”

They were quiet for just a few minutes before another thought came to her head, “I’m dreading tomorrow. What if I don’t end up in Slytherin.”

Draco looked stunned, “What a ridiculous idea! Of course you’ll be in Slytherin. You’re a Malfoy aren’t you?” Before Amelia could answer, he continued. “You are. There’s no way you’ll end up anywhere else. I can promise you that everything will end up like it’s supposed to.”

Amelia looked at him uncertainly, “If you’re sure…”

“I am. Everything is going to work out. And tomorrow is going to be the first day of the rest of your life.”


	2. Transition

Any sort of courage that Draco had given her the night before was sucked out of Amelia the moment she looked up at the Hogwarts Express. The crowd of parents, children, and various pets made for a rambunctious group that made her severely uncomfortable and claustrophobic.

“We’ve made it just in time.” Her father said stiffly, “Although, I would have preferred we get here before the rest of the wizarding world decided to show up. Honestly, how many first years could there possibly be this year.”

Draco and Amelia looked at each other and held in their laughter. It was just like their father to find something wrong in any given situation. 

“Anyway, this is goodbye for now. We’ll see you at Christmas, yes? Don’t forget to write this evening, Amelia to update us on your Slytherin experience, yes?”

She nodded obediently, “Yes, Father.”

Lucius brought her in for a short embrace, shook Draco’s hand, and escorted their mother away from the bustling crowd to find one of his many associates. 

When they were gone. Amelia turned to her brother, “Where are we going to sit? Towards the front, maybe? So we can get off first?”

Draco made a face, “The front is where all the Mudbloods sit, Amelia. We’re sitting towards the back. It’s closer to the candy cart.”

“Are you sure I’m allowed to sit with you?” She asked hesitantly.

He nodded fervently, “Of course. My friends will be fine with you sitting with us. I don’t want you to sit with the wrong sort of people.”

They walked around the platform for a little while so Draco could find his friends. Amelia had known these boys most of her life and fairly early on decided she didn’t like them very much. Still, they were far better than her father’s unnerving work friends who came by their home nearly every night. 

“Hey, Malfoy!” Gregory Goyle cried as he wobbled towards them. When he caught up, he needed to take a few breaths. He’d always reminded Amelia of a troll with his crooked nose and chubby features. Not once had she seen his hair properly combed. “Hi there, Amelia.”

“Hello, Greg.”

Draco impatiently huffed, “Come on. Everyone else is probably already on the train.” He grabbed Amelia’s wrist and dragged her along behind him. Goyle struggled to keep up. 

As they walked towards the train, they passed a girl with brown bushy hair talking to a boy with dark hair and a baby face. She was caught off guard when she noticed her brother glaring at them like they had personally insulted him. 

“Granger and Longbottom.” Draco sneered, “What a pretty pair you make. Where’s Potter? Did he decide not to come this year? That’s not a problem, is it Goyle?”

“Not at all.”

“I guess now your protector can’t save you anymore.”

The girl practically flew forward, “You know very well we can handle ourselves, Malfoy.”

Draco smirked at them, “We’ll see.”

When they were out of earshot, Amelia whispered, “Who were they? Why were you being so rude? They didn’t do anything.”

He chuckled, “That was just a load of good fun. They know I’m just teasing. They’re in Gryffindor so it’s just a simple rivalry between houses. That’s all.”

Amelia said nothing, although she wasn’t quite sure if she believed him. 

The train ride to school was mostly uneventful. She learned just how powerful Draco was in the eyes of his friends, as they listened to and laughed at almost everything he said. They particularly enjoyed any joke made at the expense of “Longbottom”.

When they finally arrived at Hogsmeade station, the first years were called to one end of the train while everyone else went the other direction. Amelia looked at her brother for guidance. 

“Go on. You only have to listen to the great oaf, Hagrid, for a little while. He’s just taking you to the boats where you’ll be led to the Great Hall to be sorted. Then you’ll be back with me. Don’t worry.” He gave her a reassuring smile. 

She let out a shaky breath and joined the rest of the first years. Everyone around her was talking energetically. As of right now, she hardly recognized anyone. And the only people she did know were children of her father’s friends. They would most likely be in Slytherin as well.

Amelia got into a boat with three others and nervously played with a loose thread on her robes. The whole journey through the Black Lake, rather than taking in the splendor of the castle, she was thinking about one thing. What if she wasn’t in Slytherin?

This was an unrealistic worry. All of her ancestors on both sides of her family leading all the way back to the creation of Hogwarts had been placed in Slytherin. All of them were pureblood. She had been told time and time again that these kinds of irrational thoughts would keep her from success. Whenever she expressed concern about her abilities, her father would say something like, “Is that how I raised you?”

And no, it wasn’t. She was raised to be confident and ambitious. All she had to do now was figure out what she wanted. 

When the boats reached the shore, they were herded inside the castle and met by a tall woman dressed in shimmering emerald robes. She was old and beautiful and she had a stern look on her face. But there was a pure kindness in her eyes that made Amelia trust her.

“Welcome to Hogwarts.” She purred, “I’m Professor McGonagall. Please follow me into the Great Hall where you will undergo the Sorting Hat ceremony.”

The mass of students walked after their new teacher. As they walked, Amelia finally began to take notice of her new school. It was enormous and beautiful. And it was almost enough to make her forget why she was worried in the first place.

But when they walked into the Great Hall and all the eyes of the students and faculty were on them, her heart rate began to pick up. She looked down at the stone floor as she walked, terrified of making eye contact with anyone. 

There was so much riding on this moment. Amelia was running through everything she had ever been taught: Muggles and Muggle-born were scum and any magic they possessed had been stolen from those more worthy. 

Professor McGonagall unravelled a long piece of parchment and began calling out the names of the new first years one by one. As she neared the M’s, Amelia grew more and more anxious. 

She almost didn’t hear her name being called because she was so worried about adopting her father’s beliefs as her own. Her mouth went dry as she heard Professor McGonagall call out clearly, “Malfoy, Amelia.”

Her face burning, she started up to the stool. The Sorting Hat stared at her with an intimidating glare. She tried to ignore the whispers, which for once she wasn’t imagining. 

“Draco has a sister?”

“Well we know where she’s headed.”

“I wonder if she’s as vile as her brother.”

Now, instead of thoughts of superiority, Amelia was simply trying not to cry. She wasn’t those things. That’s not who she was. It wasn’t who she wanted to be.

Amelia sat on the stool and looked out over the faces who were staring right back at her. She trembled as Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on her head.

“Interesting.” He hummed. “Very interesting. A Malfoy, but I see no lust for power. No cunning attitude. Raised in a Death Eater’s house, yet no qualities of one. Timid. But loyal to your family. Kinder than the whole of your family. Patient with the help. I foresee much tolerance and fairness. I believe you are more suited for…”

Amelia shook her head. Anything but this.

“Hufflepuff!”

Her vision blurred and she couldn’t hear anything. She was ushered off the stool and somehow clambered over to the Hufflepuff table where they were clapping politely. They, along with the rest of the hall, seemed stunned. A Malfoy not in Slytherin?

“Congratulations, Amelia.” A boy with a kind face greeted her quietly, “Welcome to your new house! I hope you’ll be happy with us.”

“Thank you.” Amelia said quietly.

She didn’t pay attention to the rest of the sorting. Amelia simply stared down at her empty plate. She wouldn’t be able to face Draco. He would be so disappointed. Her mother would be simply ashamed. And her father...would disown her. She had broken the grand tradition he was so proud of. This would be the end of her. 

The Sorting ceremony ended and the headmaster of the school, Professor Albus Dumbledore, made a short speech. Then, at the delight of many at the Hufflepuff table, the meal was served. 

The feast appeared on their plates suddenly, presenting endless options for everyone. Amelia scarcely touched anything. Even just looking at the food made her stomach churn.

The boy who had been nice enough to greet her eyed her during dinner several times. It made her extremely uncomfortable. And whenever she looked at him, he smiled broadly. When dinner was over, he jumped up and called out, “First years, follow me. I’ll lead you to the dormitories.”

So he was one of the prefects. Outstanding. 

Amelia cautiously trailed behind and allowed herself to be at the back of the group. Draco, luckily caught up to her, shoving his way through other students. He looked desperate. 

“Don’t worry.” He whispered as he pulled her in for a hug. “I know Father won’t let this happen. He’s going to get you in the right house. Tomorrow you’ll be back where you belong.”

As lovely as it sounded to be down in the Slytherin dormitory with her brother, she knew better than to hope. “I’m so sorry, Draco. I’ve let you and Mother and Father down.”

“Stop that. It’s not your fault. We’re going to figure it out. I promise.”

“Amelia.” It was the Hufflepuff prefect. “It’s time for us to go.”

Draco glared at him, “We’re talking. Give us a moment alone.”

Amelia, worried about stirring up confrontation on her very first night at school, calmed him down. “It’s okay, Draco. I’ll be okay for tonight. Write Father and let him know what’s happened. I don’t think I can bring myself to do it.”

When she joined the prefect, she grew silent and solemn. And he noticed.

“Is everything okay? Things seemed a little intense between you and your brother there.”

She swallowed nervously, “Everything’s fine. We just weren’t expecting this to happen.”

He nodded, “I got that. It’s not like I don’t know the history Malfoys have in Slytherin. I think everyone else thought you were a shoe-in too. But I guess now we all know better.”

“How do you know?” Amelia asked. 

“Well, I’m just saying the Sorting Hat doesn’t really make mistakes. He must see something in you no one else sees yet. He must think you’re different from your family.”

This wasn’t the first time Amelia had been told she wasn’t like the rest of her family. She knew this herself. But to hear a complete stranger tell her this, it felt odd. 

“I’m Jude Walters. Fifth year. If you ever need help, ask.”

“Got it.”

“You don’t say much.”

“No. I don’t.”

“That’s okay. There’s nothing wrong with being quiet. That’s what makes you who you are, right?”

“I guess.”

Eventually, they came to a small door, engraved with pictures of badgers. Jude knocked three times and it swung open. 

“The other houses have passwords but we find that to be a little untrustworthy. All we use are simple knocking patterns. Who’s going to bother us?”

The common room was one of the warmest places she had ever been in. A fire crackled in the fireplace, fat couches sat all around the circular room. Everything was vaguely shaped like a mushroom. There were plenty of people milling around, talking to other friends. Amelia had her eye on an isolated chair right by a window.

“Nice, right?” Jude said cheerfully, “I love it here.”

“Yeah.” Amelia was hesitant to admit that she probably preferred this over the cold dungeons where the Slytherin common room was located.

“The girls’ dormitories are through that door.” Jude said, “Alice should be in there to tell you where the first years are sleeping. See you in the morning, Amelia!”

It took a lot to convince Amelia to go into the dormitory. What finally forced her in was not a mad desire to meet her new housemates or get settled, but rather that there were people still in the common room and they were eyeing her like she might need some help. The last thing she wanted was to have someone else talk to her so she scurried through the door and slammed it behind her.

She walked into a smaller common room with only two couches and a bathroom. Girls were bustling in and out. A narrow spiral staircase led upstairs.

"Hi there." A girl with brunette curls and freckles covering her cheeks greeted her with a smile, "You're Amelia, right?"

She nodded.

"I'm Alice, fifth year prefect. I'll show you where the other first years are staying."

Amelia was led up the stairs. They passed two stories of doors revealing bedrooms until they came to one that was quieter than the others. Amelia looked in and saw several girls silently putting their belongings away in individual wardrobes.

"It may seem daunting at first. But you'll become friends soon. Trust me. Have a good night, Amelia." Alice said before going down the stairs.

Amelia looked back in the room. She desperately wanted to go in to get comfortable and go to sleep after such a big day. But she also desperately wanted to run back down the stairs, out of the dormitory and into the loving arms of her brother. She closed her eyes and made a decision. Then she took a deep breath and walked in.


	3. Adjustment

The girls that Amelia shared a room with were far too social for Amelia’s liking. She was pleased the night before when everyone was too nervous to talk to each other and hoped that it would be that way for the whole year. But she should have known better.

In the morning, one of the girls started talking to another and that set them all off. Amelia was the only one who hadn’t spoken yet and was sitting uncomfortably on her bed. But she listened to them all introduce themselves, curious as to who each of them were and where they came from. 

The girl who slept to her right was very pretty with tanned skin and pretty brown eyes. She hadn’t stopped smiling all morning. She introduced herself as Carmen, a half-blood from Spain.

“My family moved to England three years ago when my parents decided they didn’t want my sister and I to go to the wizarding school there. It’s not nearly as good as Hogwarts. My sister’s in Ravenclaw and likes to think she’s the smart one between us.”

Another girl with bouncy auburn hair made a sound of disgust, “Typical sisters. My oldest sister acts the same way. But now I’m the only witch in my family so now I have something to brag about.” She giggled, “I’m Joyce.” 

The girl who slept on the other side of Amelia boomed with laughter, “My brothers do the same thing.” Her accent was rough, Scottish maybe. Amelia didn’t think her father would like her very much. “We Turners have been magical from the very beginning, half in Hufflepuff, half in Gryffindor. I’m Daniella, by the way.”

Joyce muttered under her breath, “I wonder if we can trade them.”

Violet Parrish, their last roommate, explained in a very eloquent way that she was also a half-blood, the daughter of the Ancient Runes professor at Hogwarts and a university professor of History at Cambridge. Amelia was incredibly intimidated by this. 

“What about you?”

Amelia looked up. All four of the girls were looking at her expectantly.

“Well?” Joyce said, “Aren’t you going to tell us about yourself?”

“I-I’m Amelia.” Amelia finally mustered out. “Amelia Malfoy.”

Recognition dawned in Daniella’s face. “I’ve heard that name before. My brother’s told me all about someone named Draco. Is that your brother?”

Amelia looked down at her hands.

“I thought all Malfoys went to Slytherin.” Carmen said, “What happened with you?”

Fresh tears formed in Amelia’s eyes, “I don’t know.” She wanted to scream and cry and throw something. But there was no way that she could without looking absolutely ridiculous. 

The other girls exchanged unsure looks before quietly continuing their conversation. This was good. The less they cared about her, the better. Amelia silently left the room, swishing her school robes behind her, and made her way to the Great Hall. 

When she arrived, her eyes went immediately to the Slytherin table in search of her brother. Maybe he had some good news for her. But when she made eye contact with him, he looked at her sadly and then returned to his breakfast. 

Amelia’s heart sunk as she went to join the other Hufflepuffs. She took a seat a little ways away from everyone else. She cautiously looked at the food and picked at what she could stand. 

She was almost done with her meal when she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. She turned around and saw a chubby woman with wild, curly hair looking down at her.

“Are you Miss Amelia Malfoy?”

Amelia swallowed her food. “Y-yes.”

“Wonderful! I’m Professor Sprout, the head of house for Hufflepuff. I teach Herbology, which you’ll have tomorrow. I have your schedule right here. If you have any questions, ask one of the older students or come find me.”

Amelia scanned the schedule quickly, feeling slightly overwhelmed by the immensity of it. She was already terrified of Friday afternoon, when they’d have their first flying lesson with Ravenclaw. 

“Thank you.” She said quietly, then looked back down at her plate.

Professor Sprout stood there for just a moment longer before moving down the table to where some older students were chatting away the morning.

“Amelia.” Draco startled her. He sat beside her and smiled, “How are you feeling today?”

She shrugged, “A little better I guess. Have you heard from Father?”

He avoided her eyes, “I wrote to him immediately last night and I received a reply this morning. He says he’s disappointed that you didn’t end up in Slytherin, but he’s not angry at you. The Sorting Hat’s word is final.”

Amelia felt herself begin to cry, “But I don’t want to be in Hufflepuff, Draco. You’ve said before that only the idiots and wimps get put here. How are you supposed to think of me now?”

“Stop it! You’re neither of those things.” Draco said, defensively. “That was stupid of me to say. Hufflepuff is fine. I just wish you were with me. Are you nervous at all being alone there?”

“Only because I don’t know anyone. Everyone is friendly and lovely.” She sniffled. 

Draco raised his eyebrows, “That sounds like you. Maybe the Sorting Hat made the right choice after all.” 

“Don’t say that.” Amelia said, “I would rather be in a place I didn’t fit in if it meant I was in Slytherin with you.” 

“You’re being ridiculous.” Draco rolled his eyes and looked at the clock. “We’ve got to get going to our first classes. What’s your timetable look like?” Amelia handed him the piece of parchment. He whistled, “You’ve got Lockhart first, I see. Lucky duck. I’ll show you to the Defense classroom since it’s on my way.”

Amelia was glad to have this time with her brother, as limited as it was. Without him, she would have certainly gotten lost in the castle and probably wouldn’t have been found until the end of the year. 

While they walked, she noticed that several people watched them with distrust in their eyes. Draco didn’t seem to notice this at all but Amelia definitely did. What had she done to deserve their hatred? 

“Looks like you’ve got class with Slytherin.” Draco said when he stopped outside a classroom with a tall door. “Blaise’s younger brother is in there, you know him. Julian?” She nodded. “Try to have fun, alright. Good luck.”

He took a quick glance around before placing a light kiss on her forehead. Then he was off, as if this moment had never happened. 

Amelia was surprised at how large the room was. Cages were filled with various creatures; diagrams covered the stone walls; and books littered the floors. The other students in the room were talked quietly amongst themselves, still not used to their new surroundings. 

She settled for a seat beside Daniella, although she would have much preferred one alone or with another one of her less talkative roommates. But since she was late, she was stuck. 

“There you are! I didn’t see you at breakfast.” Daniella spoke loudly above everyone else. 

“I decided to sit by myself today.” 

Daniella continued as if she hadn’t spoken, “I’m nervous for this class. No one in my family has ever been good at Defense. What about yours?”

“They’re okay.” Amelia blushed, knowing full well that rather than defending himself against the Dark Arts, her father preferred to embrace them. “I don’t think I’ll be very good at this though, either.” 

Before Daniella could respond, Gilderoy Lockhart himself cleared his throat and stood up abruptly. 

“Good morning, pupils! I’m sure you all know you I am,” he winked at them, “and that I am to be your new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. This year I plan for you to delve into places that have so far been left uncovered for generations. You will learn more about the concentrated art of defense than you would have ever thought possible. All of this you will learn from me, a certified master in protecting the innocent from evil.” 

He finished off his speech with a flourish of his wand, earning a hearty round of applause from the unsuspecting first years. Even Amelia had to admit that she was impressed and curious. 

“Now, if you would all please open my book, Break With a Banshee, to page three, you will find a forward followed by the first chapter. You should all read this before we begin our first practical lesson. I would like you all to write a short response to the opening of my tale. This will be due at our next meeting. For now, let’s have an open question and answer session.”

Immediately, dozens of hands shot up. Amelia, not taking much interest in participating in a discussion, chose to read a book instead. She snuck out one her favorites, Sense and Sensibility, a Muggle book that she had found in Flourish and Blotts. She bought it with the help of a house elf and only read it when her parents weren’t at home. If they knew that she was reading Muggle literature, they would have her head. 

Despite having read it many times before, Amelia read hungrily, not bothering to keep track of time. It was easy to lose herself in the story that she had learned to cherish so deeply. She probably could have stayed there forever, had a finger not poked her sharply in the shoulder.

“You’re going to make us late.” Daniella said, I would hate to miss Transfiguration. That’s what I’m looking forward to the most!”

Amelia looked up in alarm. “When did class let out?”

Daniella shrugged, “About five minutes ago. I didn’t think it would be very kind to just leave you here like this. And it’s not like he would’ve noticed anything.” She nodded toward Professor Lockhart, who was admiring himself in a mirror. 

“Thank you.” Amelia said bashfully. 

“Forget it,” Daniella said, rolling her eyes. “Let’s get moving.”

She gathered up her things and scrambled out of her chair. Together, she and Daniella walked swiftly through the large corridors until they reached the Transfiguration classroom.

Daniella smiled at her as they entered, “You don’t seem like you’re as awful as your brother.”

“Thanks.” Amelia said under her breath.

“You know what I mean. You just actually seem approachable, is all. My brothers say Draco isn’t exactly the most pleasant all the time.”

She giggled, “I guess that’s true.”

“Anyway,” Daniella looked away uncomfortably as they sat down together, “I was thinking maybe we could stick together. I’m not exactly the most popular here either.”

Amelia’s heart twinged a little. She could completely understand why Daniella wasn’t the easiest to get along with. She was loud and obnoxious. But did that mean she didn’t deserve friends?

“Alright.” She said, “I’d like that.” 

Daniella’s face broke out into an ecstatic grin, “Great! Not like I would’ve given you a choice anyway!”


	4. Routines

School had been in session for about a month. Amelia found herself growing quite used to her new atmosphere. She enjoyed the simplicity and quietness of her new life. The only thing that kept her discouraged was her lack of friends. She had met many people who she thought she could see herself becoming connected to. But as soon as they found out who her family was, they didn’t talk to her any more. The only outlier being Daniella. 

Her new friend had made quite a name for herself within Hufflepuff. She was courageous, bold, and outspoken, much like a typical Gryffindor. She was always quick to stand up to bullies that dared antagonize the two of them and to cheer up Amelia when she was feeling low. Amelia had grown to depend on her. 

Herbology quickly became Amelia’s favorite class. Not only because of the kind teacher, who seemed to like her, but the subject itself was fascinating enough. Whenever she had time, she liked to sneak off to the library by herself and look through the vast section on magical plants. 

This was a time when she felt she could completely be herself. Daniella didn’t like spending too long in the library: it was too still. Amelia secretly treasured her alone time. Every day, she would greet her favorite portraits as they gave her words of encouragement. 

Hufflepuffs had Herbology last on Fridays, which Amelia thought was a fantastic way to end the week. Amelia happily packed her things while her classmates went their separate ways for the weekend. Then she noticed Professor Sprout cleaning up the mess from class, muttering to herself.

The Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors had left behind a particularly large mess today. Some rambunctious Gryffindors had thrown around some dirt which was now caking the tables and windows. She would have felt terrible leaving her favorite teacher behind to clean it all up by herself. 

She quietly approached her, “Do you need any help, Professor?” 

Professor Sprout smiled at her, “Why I would love your help, Miss Malfoy! I believe another one of my students will be coming to help out in a few minutes too. The more, the merrier!”

Amelia set down her things and began to silently sweep the dirt into a large pile. She knew Professor would want to keep everything that had been scattered around. Nothing would be thrown out and everything was to be reused. 

Working together, they were able to finish the first greenhouse quicker than Amelia expected. They moved on to the next one, which had housed the second year lessons of the day. As they tidied and trimmed, Amelia decided she liked this type of hard work. It kept her distracted from the thoughts in her head. 

“P-professor?” A familiar baby-faced boy awkwardly walked into the greenhouse. 

“Ah! Mr. Longbottom! I was wondering when you’d get here. Ready to help?” 

The boy, who Amelia now recognized as the frequent subject of her brother’s taunts, nodded, “Yes, m’am.” 

“Have you two met?” Professor Sprout asked. Amelia and Longbottom’s eyes connected momentarily but both looked away quickly. 

“No.” Amelia said softly. 

Professor Sprout hadn’t seemed to notice their brief interaction. “Well, Mr. Longbottom, this is Amelia Malfoy. Amelia, this is Neville.”

She saw Neville tense slightly at her name. It wouldn’t be difficult at all to connect her to Draco. She had grown accustomed to people losing trust in her when they learned her name. 

“I’ll be right back. I’ve got to get some bug repellant from Hagrid.” Professor Sprout said, “You two keep on working.”

When she was gone, Amelia felt as though the room had grown ten degrees colder. She was hopeful that she wouldn’t have to speak to him. But somehow, he mustered the courage to talk.

“I didn’t know Malfoy had a sister.” He didn’t look at her. She eyed him nervously. “But that’s not really a surprise. We’re not exactly best friends.”

“Not many people knew about me.” She replied, “I think the only people who really did are in Slytherin.”

Neville continued working quietly. Amelia thought maybe this was the end of their conversation. But he spoke again a little while later. 

“Why aren’t you in Slytherin?”

This was a question she, and everyone else it seemed, was very curious about. “I don’t know.” She answered honestly, “I wish I did. I just figure I’m not as good as the rest of my family.”

Neville looked at her for a moment. “I guess the standards are a little different for Malfoys.”

Amelia didn’t think that he meant for this to hurt her. But it did. She felt a tear in the corner of her eye and she wiped it away before he could see. She wished she could understand why her family was so hated by everyone. Everyone she met at this school knew her name and the reputation it carried. 

She was tired of losing potential friends over it. 

“I’m not saying that your standards are different.” Neville jumped in, possibly sensing Amelia’s discomfort. “You got put in Hufflepuff, so you must be different from them.”

“People keep saying that. It’s not like I don’t know that I don’t fit in with the rest of my family.” She was starting to get frustrated. It wasn’t Neville’s fault. This had all be slowly building up inside her ever since she came to Hogwarts. “The thing is, I don’t know why it’s a good thing. Everyone seems so relieved when they see that I’m not like my brother.”

Amelia could tell Neville had no idea what to say. He had stopped working and was now shifting from one foot to another. She felt terrible and awkward. Why had she spilled her personal thoughts to this stranger?

“I’m sorry.” She said.

He smiled half-heartedly at her. “It’s okay. You’re probably tired of having this conversation. So…” he looked around the room, “we could talk about something else. How are you liking Hogwarts so far?”

Amelia took a deep breath, “It was hard to get used to at first because the castle is so big and it’s hard to make friends. I’ve only got the one.”

“Don’t feel bad about that. It took me a long time to adjust too. My family didn’t think I was going to have magic and even when I got here I struggled to get anything from my wand.” Neville looked at the plants kindly, “But this doesn’t require magical ability, just patience.”

She smiled, “That’s what I like about it too. So far, I haven’t really done well in anything but this class. Professor Sprout is wonderful too.”

“Glad to know you think so well of me.” Their teacher said as she entered the greenhouse again. “You two have gotten quite a bit done! I could use hands like yours more often around here, Miss Malfoy. Mr. Longbottom comes after classes most days if you’re interested in volunteering with him. He helps me clean but also with moving things around and getting lessons set up. Are you interested?”

Amelia’s heart picked up a little, “That sounds like fun! I would love to do that, Professor.”

She smiled at her students kindly, “It’s no trouble at all. You’re the ones helping me, after all. Now, I believe it’s getting near dinner time now. Why don’t you two wander towards the Great Hall and I’ll see you there.”

Neville and Amelia did so enthusiastically. She couldn’t quite describe the extreme bliss she was feeling at the moment. Her entire body felt light and airy. So far at Hogwarts, Amelia had never experienced this. 

They hadn’t meant to walk to the Great Hall together, it just happened. Their conversation was limited to Herbology mostly. Neville, being a year ahead of her, asked questions about where her class was and what interested her most so far. He seemed incredibly intelligent as he listed off characteristics of plants Amelia had never even heard of before. How was he only a second year?

Amelia got so immersed in their Herbology talk that she didn’t really notice when they arrived at the Great Hall. It wasn’t until she felt cold eyes on her that she took in her surroundings. She instantly made eye-contact with her brother, who was glaring at her and Neville. This startled her into silence, and Neville noticed.

He glanced around the room until he saw Draco looking at them. “I-I’ll see you on Monday, Amelia.” Before she could say anything herself, he darted away to the Gryffindor table. 

She grumpily set her things down on the Hufflepuff table as she took her seat beside Daniella, who was arguing with Carmen about something they learned today in Potions. Neither seemed to notice Amelia as she struggled to breathe. 

If Draco saw her talking with Neville, he was probably going to approach her soon. And if he did, Amelia wasn’t sure what she was going to say. If she admitted that she was getting along with someone he teased so relentlessly, what was he going to start doing to her? Even worse, what if he told their father that she was fraternizing with someone who he certainly wouldn’t approve of? 

Amelia shakily began filling her plate with food that she knew she probably wasn’t going to eat. She was far too worried now. Maybe she should have thought things through before she agreed to help Professor Sprout in the greenhouses. Now she was going to have to see Neville everyday. 

Her nerves finally got the best of her. She stood up quickly, gathered her belongings and started out the door of the Great Hall, wondering where she could possibly go that would be comforting. The dormitory was out; soon enough people would be back there asking questions. The greenhouses would have been an option if it didn’t make her think about Neville, plus it was getting far too cold to be outside this late.

Amelia finally decided on the library. It was quiet and there were enough corners tucked away from everyone else where she could process. 

She was thinking about whether she should restart Sense & Sensibility or find another book to dive into when she nearly ran into a bushy haired girl, a red-headed boy, and Harry Potter himself. None of them paid her much attention. They were all staring at a spot in the wall where a haunting threat was written in red print.


	5. Terror

As Amelia stared up at the message on the wall, she felt every ounce of optimism drain out of her. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Hogwarts was supposed to be a safe place. Maybe not from ridicule or bullies, but surely from threats written in blood. 

She wanted to back away from the scene but she was too terrified to even move. Behind her, she could hear the rest of the school leaving the Great Hall from dinner, conversing easily with one another. No one was expecting to see what was before them. 

Harry Potter was standing, almost mesmerized, by Mrs. Norris, the crotchety caretaker’s cat, hanging stiff as a board from a sconce in the corridor. Beside her unmoving figure was the scrawled out note: 

"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened, enemies of the Heir beware…"

Amelia’s limbs had turned to ice and her mouth had gone dry. She could feel herself start to lose balance. But then she remembered that nearly the entire school was there. If she fainted right then and there, people would be talking about it for weeks. So instead, she staggered away from the crowd, avoiding looking in anyone’s eyes. Her head was light and dizzy, causing her to drunkenly dance as she walked down the hallway.

She leapt from fear when someone’s arms wrapped around her, practically dragging her into the dark. She wanted to scream but was so overcome with terror that her voice was lost. It wasn’t until the chaos of the crime scene was no longer in sight that she realized it was Draco who had embraced her. 

“Quit it,” he whispered, “it’s just me.” He released her and watched as she gained control of her breathing. When it seemed like she’d calmed down a bit, he bombarded her. 

“What on earth were you doing with the likes of Potter and his friends?” Draco hissed at her, “Haven’t I told you that they’re trouble?”

Amelia could hardly speak, “I-I wasn’t with them. I was going to the library and I-”

“Stop. I don’t care. What I really want to know is why it seems like you’re best friends with Neville Longbottom.” He was looking at her sternly, something he had never done before.

“We were both coming from the greenhouses.” She managed to say. “I was only talking to him because it would have been rude if I didn’t.”

Draco thought about this for a moment before he nodded approvingly. “Alright, as long as that’s all it was. I can’t have you being friends with someone so pathetic. It’ll ruin your reputation.”

“You’re right.” She said quietly. She didn’t add that most other people thought that by being a Malfoy, she was ruining her reputation. Draco probably wouldn’t have taken too kindly to that. 

Her brother let out a deep breath and looked at her, “I’m sorry, Melia. I just want to see you succeed. Plus, I’m supposed to be watching over you. And Father certainly wouldn’t think well of you associating with that blood traitor.” He was right about that.

Amelia looked back down the hallway from where they had come. “What was that message, Draco? Do you know what it means?”

“No idea. I was thinking I should write Father. He usually knows about things like this. And if he doesn’t, he can ask around the Ministry,” he reasoned.

“But...what if we’re in danger? If that’s blood on the wall-”

“If that’s blood on the wall, Dumbledore is going to take care of it. That’s his job. Let me write Father and find out what he knows. Then I’ll tell you and then you can settle down. Honestly, sometimes you freak out at the most pointless things, Amelia.”

She bit her tongue to keep from crying and nodded. 

He kissed the top of her head, “I’m going to go write that letter. Are you okay to get back to your dormitory on your own?”

Once again, she nodded. She was beyond ready to be far away from her brother. Just once she would have liked Draco to actually acknowledge her feelings. He always seemed to brush them aside or simply assure her everything was going to be okay. This time she wasn’t so sure. 

The prefects were now starting to gather up their houses as orderly as they could. Amelia noticed Jude standing high above a group of first and second years who were looking up at him anxiously. 

“Amelia! Come on, we’re all going back together. Don’t want to lose track of you, do we?” He said, corralling her with the others. “Alright everyone, follow me. Please don’t wander off.”

As they walked single-file to the dormitory, Amelia felt herself cautiously watch corners and shadows distrustfully. And she wasn’t the only one. She noticed Carmen and Violet were holding each other’s hands and Joyce was biting her nails. 

Amelia was immensely relieved when they stepped into the common room. The warmth was enough to bring back the feeling in her toes. The only thing that remained were her dark thoughts. 

The common room seemed to already be packed with gossiping students. Amelia wished she could go straight to bed but there were prefects standing in front of the separate wings, keeping them trapped in the main common room. She wondered how much longer this was going to last when Professor Sprout entered.

“Everyone settle down, pay attention. Now there’s no reason to be concerned. I wanted to let you all know that Mrs. Norris is going to be fine, she’s only petrified. As for what was written on the wall, Professor Dumbledore is looking for anyone who knows anything to come forward. That being said, because we’re not sure what is going on, we advise you to walk in pairs until the culprit has been found. Now everyone better get to bed.”

What had started as a pleasant day had quickly become into a complete nightmare. Not only had she seen an awful message written in blood and Mrs. Norris hanging lifelessly, but her brief encounter with Draco had gone less than perfectly. 

After Professor Sprout left, Amelia immediately slid past the fifth year prefect, Alice, who was guarding the girls’ door. She made it all the way up to her bedroom before she collapsed and screamed into her pillow. When her voice was raw, she turned over and laid still. 

Amelia let out a deep breath and stared at the top of her bed. Professor Sprout’s words were supposed to calm her down. But if anything, her fears got worse. She would have rather known and understood what was going on, even if it was terrifying. But no one knew who had written the message or what it meant. The unknown, something no one could control or rationalize, was enough to fill her with dread, weighing her down on her bed. 

Daniella and the rest of the girls came up a little later. Amelia lay in her bed, pretending to be asleep. She wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone. If anyone were to ask her if she was okay, she was probably going to lose it. Hot tears poured down her face as she struggled to keep quiet so her roommates wouldn’t hear. 

When she closed her eyes, trying to force sleep upon herself, Amelia found that her mind wasn’t ready to stop whirling. Faces and thoughts kept circling through her head, keeping her wide awake.

She thought of her father, who she feared wouldn’t approve of anything she had done so far at Hogwarts. Amelia was going to have a lot to answer for when she and her brother went home for Christmas. Although he had initially said that he wasn’t disappointed that she hadn’t ended up in Slytherin, she was sure that he would say something. He would determine she wasn’t good enough. 

Then he would comment on her choice of friends. Amelia should have been thinking about her relationships carefully, analysing each person until she understood them completely. That’s what her brother did. Now he had plenty of friends that were useful to him. She didn’t choose anyone for anything. It just happened. 

Holiday would end with her escaping to her room to cry where her mother would soon join her and tell her to keep her chin up.

What was wrong with her? Why wasn’t she like the rest of her family? It would have made things a lot easier if she were. She wouldn’t have to deal with caring if people hated her or with crippling anxiety every time she managed to speak. If she were a true Malfoy, she would be more clever and charming. Maybe she wouldn’t be such a disappointment. 

A final tear slid down Amelia’s face as she finally dozed off. She was just going to have to make do. She was patient and could wait for things to get better. Even if she wasn’t the perfect Malfoy now, maybe she would grow into it. Then everything would be better. All she had to do was wait.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to my beta reader!: junebug72


End file.
